Sand And Water
by Ange2
Summary: **WIP** V has a secret that she's kept from Jax for years. What happens when it's too late for her to tell him? *AU/Future Fic*
1. Sand and Water Pro

Sand and Water Prologue  
  
Solid stone is just sand and water, baby, sand and water, and a million years gone by~ Beth Nielsen Chapman  
  
August 1999  
  
She slipped silently out of bed, looking at the man she had woken up with. She still wasn't sure how they'd ended up where they had, but she knew immediately if she didn't get out of there, she'd regret it. It was exactly where she wanted to be, but she was sure that he would be less then thrilled in the morning. If she got out now, she might still have her dignity in place, and maybe Jax would forget all about her being there.  
  
She took one last look at the man she'd been in love with for years before leaving his room. It didn't seem fair. If this had been any other place or time, perhaps there would have been a chance. But she had come over to say goodbye, and he had been upset about that and other things, and she should have known better then to agree to a drink. She didn't even want to think of how much they'd drank together, but she knew that if she didn't want to see things blow up she needed to leave immediately. "Goodbye Jax, I love you," She said and left completely.  
  
"I love you too Venus Ardanowski, that wont' change," Jax said quietly, so she wouldn't know he was awake. His one chance at total happiness, and he let it just walk out without a fight. 


	2. Sand and Water Chapter 1

Sand and Water Chapter 1  
  
January 2008  
  
V Ardanowski looked in the mirror again, tucking a loose strand of flaming red hair into the prim bun that she had pulled her long hair up into. She didn't recognize herself in the woman she saw before her. Even under a heavy layer of make-up, her skin was sallow and the bags under her eyes were big enough to carry the groceries home in. She hadn't slept in days since she heard the news; she hadn't eaten in as long as that. But here she was, back in the states, back in Port Charles specifically, looking like death warmed over, and only wishing she felt that good.  
  
She jumped when she heard the knock on the door. She hadn't realized that it was time already, and she wasn't sure if she was ready for this. She flicked an imaginary piece of lint off of her suit jacket, and walked across the hotel suite to let Jerry in. He was the only one who knew she was in town already, and he had said he would come pick her up so she didn't have to rent a car. She had planned on coming in, and sneaking out of town again before anyone realized she was around. Like the shadow in their lives she had become, she came in with the sun and would be gone by dusk.  
  
She opened the door, taking in the sight of her old friend. He looked older, but eight years would do that to a person. He also looked like she felt. The bags under his blood shot eyes were a give away of what he'd gone through over the past week. The suit he was wearing was slightly crumpled, and the dark tie was slightly askew, but still he looked good.  
  
"Come in Jer," She said opening the door wider. They didn't have to leave just yet, and he looked like he could use a friend. "We've got a few minutes unless you have to pick up John and Lady Jane?"  
  
"No, they have a driver while they're in town. It seemed easier." He said coming into the suite. It was similar to the Penthouse that he owned, right down to the sterile furniture that he hadn't gotten around to ever replacing. He sunk down onto the couch, and leaned his head back, his eyes closing. "So it looks like it's just you and me kid. Hope you don't mind if I'm not in the best of moods."  
  
"I'd be offended if you were Jerry." She said moving quickly to the bar to pour them both a glass of vodka. They deserved at least that on a black day like today. "And I don't mind it just being you and I. I don't want to see anyone else. Outside of Jax, it's been years since I've seen anyone else, and that's just one of the many reasons why I'm not happy today. When I left here with Simon, I left everything behind. I wanted it that way and I kept it that way. I'm not sure the reaction I'll get for Alexis, Ned or Felicia anymore." She brought the glasses of clear liquid over handing one to her companion before sitting down next to him.  
  
"They'll be thrilled to see you. At least Ned and Alexis will be. When you left, I don't think that they honestly thought you'd never be back. None of us did. They've heard the V around the world stories, and how can they miss the stories all over the business pages about the illusive V. Ardanowski, businesswoman of the twenty-first century? I take full credit for teaching you everything you need to know."  
  
"You and your brother." She said sadly. Tears filled her eyes, and she looked and saw the same tears brimming in Jerry's brown eyes. "What in the world are we going to do without him Jerry? I might not have seen him every day, or even every month. But I knew that every morning when I woke up there could be a call on my cell phone from him. One saying that if I couldn't get a company jet into the air in an hour, there would be one arriving at the airfield to take me to Berlin. That he'd woken up with a craving for snitzel and he was already in the air."  
  
"I don't know to be honest V. I never thought I'd wake up without him in my life. And here it is, four days later, and it still doesn't make sense." He reached out, trying to wipe away her tears. "We'll be ok though, I'm sure of it. We've got to be strong though, for Dad and Lady Jane, and for everyone else who is going to be looking to us for help."  
  
"What about Chloe? Shouldn't she be the one on your arm today for this ordeal, comforting John and Jane?" She tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice, and hoped that the emotional roughness would cover it.  
  
"My sister-in-law the merry widow? Please, don't even go there. She's already left town, that's how upset she is about her husband's death. Funeral's are to depressing for her, and she hasn't the time to design a stunning mourning suit." Jerry had never liked the flighty woman who his brother had married, but he never hated her more then he did right now. "It's better off that she's not here though. Everyone is upset enough; they don't need her here. And I'll tell you a secret if you promise not to let it out."  
  
She crossed her heart silently, knowing she'd take whatever he told her to her grave. She wasn't where she was in the business world by blabbing secrets of her associates.  
  
"Jax was planning on divorcing the flighty Mrs. Jacks. He'd already had papers drawn up, and he had Alexis brokering with her lawyer on a settlement to get her out of his life all together." Jerry knew he could trust V, so he wasn't going to hold anything back. "He was basically willing to give up the company to get her out of his life V. That's how bad things had gotten between them. They would go out to public functions together, but he would stay at the penthouse while she would be at the mansion."  
  
"He never told me," She said, wondering why that was. V had never been a fan of Chloe, who had come in, taken her friends and her life and then set her up with Simon to get her out of the way. That had been the worst thing to find out, but one of the best things for her.  
  
After a few months on her wonderful cruise around the world, she'd found out that Simon had been bought off. Chloe had given him a large amount of money to get her out of town. Another thing she'd take to her grave, she turned around and took what she considered blood money, and turned it into her own computer company, a multi-million dollar company. Simon was so humiliated about being found out, that he kept his mouth shut about it, and Chloe never knew that she knew. She did get her back though, once she was big enough. She used her knowledge from J&J Jacks and took over Chloe's first fashion house, and dismantled it piece by piece. No one knew it had been her, she'd covered her tracks, but she always suspected that Jax knew and took great pleasure in the event.  
  
"He didn't want anyone to know. Mum and Da would have been thrilled about it; they never took to Chloe. But he was too stubborn for his own good, and didn't want any one to know and feel bad for him." Jerry let a deep breath out, relieved to have this off of his chest. "If this hadn't of happened, he would have been free of her soon."  
  
In a way, he was free of her, and at least in that he was happy and at peace. "Jerry, I know that you might not be ready to talk about this, but is there any indication yet from the NTSB as to what happened?"  
  
"None. The plane was in good condition; the pilot was more then capable. It just seems that he fell out of the sky for no other reason then to do it. The Feds said it could take up to six months before they learn anything about the cause." The distant look he had was killing her, and she set her untouched glass of vodka down on the floor and wrapped her arms around her grieving friend. "He wouldn't want us to cry Jerry. He'd call us bloody fools and tell us to celebrate his life not mourn his death."  
  
"You're right, I know you're right. And we are trying to keep up our spirits. But it's not fair. I was the bad brother, it should have been me. I should have been up there, and he should be here still alive, planning a family and finding a woman to finally settle down with."  
  
She flushed, knowing that part of what he was saying was true. Not about how he should have been the one, but about how he should have found one woman to settle down and plan a family with. "That's not true Jerry Jacks, and I don't ever want you to say something so stupid again!" She wondered if it was time for her long carried secret to come out. She never planned for anyone from her former life to know, but she never thought something like this could happen. She was about to call for Jonathan when he took matters into his own little hands.  
  
"Mama?" Her son came into the living room followed by his nanny who was smiling apologetically. "Sorry Ms. Ardanowski. He heard your friend come in, and wanted to say good night before you left."  
  
"That's fine Edith, I think it's time that he meets my friends." She let go of Jerry and opened her arms wide to her golden child. He wasn't a little boy anymore, almost 10 and soon he would want to spend more time with his friends and their fathers then with her, so she enjoyed the time she had with him. "Jer, I want you to meet someone very special to me. This is my son Jonathan Fredrick Ardanowski. Jon, this is my friend Mr. Jerry Jacks. He's the brother of the friend I told you about."  
  
Jonathan held out his hand confidently. "It's nice to meet you Mr. Jacks. I'm sorry about your brother. I know how much he meant to mama. I just wish I could have met him."  
  
"I wish you could have too Jonathan," Jerry said taking the boy's hand. "I have a feeling he would have liked you a great deal," He was looking at V, and avoiding the blue yes of the young man. Eyes that were the same color of Jax's, "V, why is it that none of us ever met Jonathan before today?" 


	3. Sand and Water Chapter 2

**Sand & Water Chapter 2**  
  
Solid stone is just sand and water, baby, sand and water, and a million years gone by ~ Beth Nielsen Chapman  
  
On a day that she was facing her worst nightmare head on, she shouldn't be surprised that the rest of her world was falling down around her. "No one, outside of my closest staff has met Jonathan," She hoped that he wouldn't cause a scene in front of her son. "We all keep our little secrets Jerry," she said seriously. "Some of them are kept better then others. And some of them you live to regret."  
  
Jerry nodded, knowing it wasn't the time or the place to discuss how this had all come to pass. "I can understand that more then most V, I just wish.." He left it there, knowing that it wasn't his place to make her feel guilty over this, that she probably already felt that way.  
  
"No more then I wish Jer," She said sadly interrupting him. "I've wished a long time, but there weren't enough pennies or enough fountains to toss the pennies in for mine to come true. I took what I could, and loved and sheltered it so it could grow. I only hope that some day I'm forgiven for my imperfections."  
  
"You are perfect mom, I don't how you could possibly think you aren't." Jonathan hugged his mom, showing where his loyalties lay. "I couldn't ask for a better mother, if I wanted to."  
  
"I doubt there is a better mother, outside of my own sport," Jerry said noting how close mother and son were. "Maybe your mom will let you meet Lady Jane and John before they leave to go home. They always thought the world of your mum and I know that they would enjoy meeting you."  
  
"Can I mom? They're the ones that live in Alaska right?" V nodded, unable to talk through her emotions. "Mom told me all kinds of stories about your family," Jonathan told Jerry. "I didn't believe that you and your brother were real when I was little. You've done some pretty cool stuff."  
  
The hero worship in the young boy's eyes was killing Jerry. He could remember when he was that young and Jax would look at him like that. "I've had my day a time or two. Maybe V will let you come out with me sometime soon. I'm thinking about doing another African safari sometime soon, and I could use someone to along for company."  
  
"You are not going out on safari Jonathan, don't even ask," V was saying at the same time that Jonathan was asking, "Cool! Mom, can I go can I?"  
  
Jerry laughed for the first time since he got the call about the plane crash. "You behave, don't give your mum any trouble, and I'll work on her about the safari Jon. If not that, maybe we can go salmon fishing at the family compound this spring. She might feel better about that."  
  
"Don't count on it," V ground out. And he wondered why she never said anything about Jon before now. She hugged her son a last time, kissing him on the cheek. "Remember we've got a couple of trips already planned for this summer. We're already looking at both Paris and Rome, I think that's more then enough to keep us busy don't you?"  
  
"Yes ma'am," He said knowing he shouldn't argue, his voice taking the same pouting tone that Jax's had when he didn't get his way. "But you'll just want to go to all of your museums, and I'll be bored stiff."  
  
"But you'll learn a lot, and I think that we can fit in a couple day trips that don't include art museums Jon. We'll discuss plans when we get home in a couple days J." She said, hoping to cut off any further argument. She shot Jerry a death look, for encouraging him. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. But then again, Jax wasn't supposed to end up dead before he got to meet his son, and her son wasn't supposed to immediately bond with the first Jacks relative he met.  
  
"You can't leave in a couple of days." Jerry said with what he thought was very little room for argument. "Mum and Dad haven't seen you in such a long time Venus. You don't want to upset them more do you? By taking your son and running out of town."  
  
"A few days is more then I planned on being here. I'll re-evaluate tomorrow Jerry. This trip is as hard as they get. Honestly I want to be in my own home, to mourn on my own. And I'm already interrupting Jon's schedule by bringing him here. Keeping him here will be detrimental to him right now." And to me, she thought to add, but didn't.  
  
"She wasn't going to bring me, but at the last minute, she changed her mind," Jonathan told Jerry, worried about how upset his mom was getting. "I don't think she wanted to travel alone."  
  
"She can still talk for herself honey," V said wanting to squeeze her son. He was so considerate, and always took such good care of her. "No one takes better care of me then you do Jonathan," She said leaning over to kiss him again, smiling when he swiped at his cheek. "Even if you're getting to old for kisses and for hanging out with mom."  
  
"I never said that mom, but I don't want to hang out at museums. That's your thing. If I've got to do educational stuff, I'd rather hang out at school and do the math program they have this summer. At least that's something I can get into if you aren't going to let me go out with Mr. Jacks."  
  
"Does he remind you of anyone Jerry?" V asked, trying to check her emotions, and forcing a smile. "Jon, why don't you and Edith go down to the Grille for dinner. Have them charge that and a hot fudge sundae to the room. And I left a list of places that you two might want to go this evening while I'm gone. Most of the places are within walking distance, and it's safe enough here where you can walk, unlike London.  
  
"Are you trying to get ride of me mom?" Jonathan looked at Jerry again, wondering if he might have some idea about why they lived in London instead of here in the states, or if he might know who his father was. He had always been told that it was someone that his mom knew during her time in Port Charles, but she had never said who he was. Just that she had loved him and that she never regretted a thing that had happened between them.  
  
"Never, I just know that Jerry and I have a lot to talk about and it's tall talk. You'll be bored with it." She ruffled his hair. She knew it wasn't true. He loved listening to her talk business, and he took it all in, storing it for when he was older and ready to go into business for himself. "Which boils down to things you don't need to know about right now." She said before he could say he wanted to stay.  
  
"Is this about my father?" He asked, wanting to know why all of a sudden he was being shipped out the door when normally he was welcome in whatever business his mother had.  
  
"Jonathan," V said, a hint of warning in her tone. He had never talked back to her before now, and never argued with her in front of others. They always set aside any differences the might have in public; to debate whatever the problem was when they got home. "This is a discussion between Jerry and I. That's all I plan on saying about it. Tonight when I get home, I will answer some of your questions. You're old enough now to know some of the things that you're asking about. But there is a time and a place for everything, and by being disrespectful; you aren't getting any closer to finding out the truth. And we will discuss your insolence, and how it isn't appropriate behavior for a young man in your position."  
  
"I'm sorry mama." He said hoping she wasn't to upset with him. He knew he had been out of order, and deserved her to be mad, he just didn't want her to be. "It won't happen again." He said before turning to walk back to his room.  
  
"Jon, come here sweetheart." She looked at Jerry, who was trying hard not to stare at the two of them. He was as caught in this web now as she and her son were. She knelt down in front of him, bringing herself down to his level. "I'm sorry if I might have snapped at you. We talked about how hard this is for me, and how I might not act like myself while we're here."  
  
"And how I should try to be on my best behavior so that if you didn't act like yourself, you wouldn't take it out on me." He recalled their conversation on the plane over. "I haven't been, have I mama?"  
  
"No you haven't but you haven't been as bad as I'm making it out to be. You just always manage to surprise me, and right now I'm not on my best behavior as a mother either." She stroked the high cheek of her son, the only thing that got her through so much, and who would be here to get her through losing Jax. "I meant it when I said that later we will talk."  
  
"Will Mr. Jacks be coming home with you tonight?" He asked, still curious about her friend. "Even if you won't let me go to Africa with him, I want to see him again."  
  
"We'll see Jon. Mr. Jacks probably has other plans and his parents are in town and need him." She hoped that Jerry wouldn't be coming back with her. She needed time on her own, to figure out how this all would work, now that her secret was out.  
  
"There is no place I'd rather be sport," Jerry said, coming up behind V and his nephew. "If your mum doesn't mind." He was so conflicted, this was his brother's son, and he should be angry that Jax had never known of the boy. But to have a part of his beloved brother still here was a bright spot in the darkness that had fallen over his life. "Tonight, we're having a late dinner at Jax's penthouse. It will be my parents, a few close friends, your mother was going to be there. It's a chance for us all to relax and remember Jax in a way he'd approve of, less formal but a lot more fun. I think it would be nice if you joined us Jonathan. Then after dinner, maybe you and your mum can sit down with my folks and we can all talk. There are a lot of questions that we'll all have."  
  
V knew she wasn't getting out of this. Jerry and her son were both looking at her with big puppy dog eyes. "Dinner would be fine tonight. We can't stay to late, and there will need to be some ground rules set." V said, not allowing herself to be completely railroaded by the Jacks'. "And this isn't going to change my mind about leaving for home though."  
  
Jerry and Jonathan high-fived one another, knowing that once V gave in, she was a push over. "I mean it. I am going to keep my original plan. We're home by the weekend." She checked her watch, seeing that all of the extra time they had was now gone and they had to leave. "Behave for Edith tonight, and no arguing with her when she says something." She knew that her son and his nanny had a close but volatile relationship. "And I mean it. If she tells me you tried to lose her or that you locked her out, I won't be pleased."  
  
"Yes ma'am." John replied with an impish grin, not trying to show any contrition from his past escapades. "I won't lose her or lock her out."  
  
"Or anything else that will make me mad young man. No insects or reptiles, no practical jokes, no pretending you're going blind." She added to try and cover everything she could think of. She heard Jerry snickering and turned a cold stare on him. "It's not funny, he is a handful when he wants to be."  
  
"As it should be love," Jerry said trying to stifle another laugh. "And no more then you deserve Venus."  
  
"Mom, how come he gets away with calling you Venus, when you won't let anyone else call you that? And he calls you love. You jump on anyone who calls you anything sweet like that."  
  
"Jacks men, no matter who they are Jonathan, do what they want when they want to do it. Much like you always have." She forced her smile again, not wanting to think or go anywhere, wanting to stay in her own little world with her son and deal with this evening and the next few days Jerry saw in her eyes what she was thinking, and knew he'd have to get her out of there before she changed her mind completely.  
  
"It's been a pleasure meeting you Jon," Jerry said holding his hand out to the boy. It was taken with a strong, sure handshake, and a smile. "We'll come back and get you before we go upstairs tonight sport. Consider a sports jacket to meet the family and friends tonight." He said, and laughed when the kid scrunched up his face in disdain about the suit jacket. "I know, it sucks. But some times we have to do it to make the women folk happy."  
  
"Yes sir," Jon couldn't help but like the man who called his mother love, and who even when he had such bad stuff going on in his life could still be so nice with him.  
  
"And please, please, please call me Jerry. You can call my dad sir and Mr. Jacks if you'd like. He'd like that a lot as a matter of fact. But I'm not old enough to a sir or a mister."  
  
Jon looked at his mom, and she gave him a slight nod to let him know that it was ok in this case. "I'll see you later then Jerry." He said a patented Jacks grin appearing on his face. "Take care of my mom. She's not dealing very well."  
  
"Will do Jon," Jerry said, ruffling the boy's tousled sun kissed hair. "She's very important to me, and I wont' allow anything to happen to her." Jerry said looking at the woman Venus Ardanowski had become. "And we'll all have our answers sport. One way or another."  
  
V watched the two men bonding, and walked out in the hallway, unable to watch. She leaned back against the door jamb, wondering where she'd gone wrong and what punishment she was going to have to face to make it up to Jonathan, Jerry, the elder Jacks, and to her lost love, the one man who should have been in the suite, bonding with her son. 


	4. Sand and Water Chapter 3

**Sand & Water Chapter 3**  
  
Solid stone is just sand and water, baby, sand and water, and a million years gone by ~ Beth Nielsen Chapman  
  
"V" Jerry said tentatively, shutting the door to her suite softly behind him. He wasn't sure where to begin, not wanting to upset her more then she already was. But he still had to know why all of this had happened.  
  
"Please don't ask my why Jer," She said, anticipating his question. She looked up at him, tears rolling slowly down her face. "One night, is all we had, but I was given an angel who has made me happier then anything else I could have ever imagined or asked for.  
  
Jerry wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her close, his chin resting on the top of her head. "He appears to be a wonderful boy Venus. You have a lot to be proud of."  
  
"He really is. He's the perfect compliment of Jax and I. At least I think so, I'm probably a bit biased. I've tried to curb the Jacks in him, but sometimes, it just shines through. Like tonight."  
  
"You're right. It's not just the resemblance." He said, releasing her and looking down with a smile. "Although that is a dead give away. It's an attitude about him."  
  
"Oh, he has the attitude. I never would have thought that someone who never knew his father could turn out so much like him." She gave him a last squeeze and tried to compose herself. She took the first step towards the elevator, the door opening as soon as she pushed the button. "I'm just not sure how the rest of your family is going to take this. I always thought that some time down the road, I could tell Jax and we'd laugh about it once he got over being furious at me. But I never considered how Lady Jane and John would react to him. I think maybe Jonathan and I shouldn't come to dinner tonight, maybe it would be best if we made introductions in a more private setting. I promise I won't leave until my son has had a chance to meet his grandparents."  
  
"We'll tell them before dinner V. We aren't going to waltz Jon into the penthouse unannounced. Actually, it might help mum and dad more then anything else. They've always wanted grandchildren. With the status of my life as it is, Jax was their only hope. And Chloe never wanted children." He said, not wanting to talk about Chloe.  
  
"Let me guess. There was no market for maternity clothes in the fashion world?" She asked, knowing that was anything but true. The time she spent dabbling in the fashion business, she tried to add some things that she noticed were lacking from her wardrobe. Jon was only just a toddler, and she still remembered the awful maternity moo-moo's she'd been forced to wear. "Or didn't she think she could be creative while pregnant?"  
  
"I wouldn't know, I barely talked to her. She couldn't stand me and the feeling was mutual. We only tolerated each other and tried to behaved to keep Jax happy." Jerry said with a shrug. "At least in the beginning. Later, it was just easier to ignore her."  
  
"I never understood why he married her to begin with, he never seemed to be in love with her. He flew into London one weekend, and gave me a call to come out and play. We went to a show and maybe dancing or something. It wasn't until I was taking him back to the airport on Monday morning that he mentioned anything about getting married. And then it was in passing, a 'Oh, by the way you're invited to the wedding it's a week from Saturday at 2:30.'"  
  
That was what had confused her most. There was never anything made of him getting married. Just that it was happening. "That was it. After that, it was like it never happened. He'd come over or fly me somewhere to meet him, we'd do dinner, shopping, gambling whatever we felt like, but it never changed him. He was still Jax, and I was still V. And outside of a couple of nasty articles in the newspaper about me being his plaything while Chloe was off at the spa or where ever she went when he was away, it was the same."  
  
"He was the least married man on earth. I never understood why he put up with it honestly. Chloe spent most of the first few years of their marriage between Port Charles and Milan. She always said she was going to open up a design studio here, but there was always something or another that prevented it. When she got taken over, she was sure that Jax was behind it. To keep her here with him all of the time, which pushed them further apart."  
  
V could feel a snicker coming, and she tried to hold it back unsuccessfully. Jerry looked at her, not sure what she found so amusing. She held a finger to her lips, as the elevator doors opened up, and she took his arm, walking through the lobby of the PC Hotel with her head held high. She recognized some of the people coming and going, long time Port Charles residents, and smiled to the few of them that she knew personally. It wasn't until they got outside and into the waiting limo that she allowed herself to laugh again. "That's classic. The one thing I never wanted to do, I ended up doing in the end anyway. Without really meaning to."  
  
"What did you never want to do V?" Jerry was still confused unsure what she was talking about even.  
  
"Break up Jax and Chloe. When I found out I was pregnant, I decided that when Jax figured her out and dumped her, I would tell him about Jonathan. That never happened. And when I was almost ready to tell him, he drops the bomb about them getting married. I kept my mouth shut all these years, to prevent being the cause of their break up Jer. And in the end, it was me that ruined it. I was the one who was behind the take over of Chloe Morgan Designs. I thought it was rather fitting revenge actually. For a number of reasons, that I'd rather not get into." She said, waiting to see if he'd ask why. He didn't, so she continued. "But I pushed her away, because Jax, who never confessed that he knew, but I think he did, wouldn't rat me out."  
  
"You? V, your company was in its infancy stages then. How could you have afforded to take over an established business like Chole's? And you said you think Jax knew? No wonder he let it happen." Jerry thought back, trying to remember what had happened at that point in their lives. "Jax was going to fight to keep Chloe from losing the company, but then he stepped back and she said she'd handle it."  
  
"I had a lot of money that I didn't tie up in the company. Jax always paid me well, and during the good times, before everything happened, he was putting money aside for my expenses monthly. He knew I wouldn't accept them unless I was desperate. But after I dumped Simon, he sent me the number to my Swiss bank account, and all the records. That's what I used to take over Chloe, then I invested my profit back into my little company and made it what it is today. That and I used everything I'd ever seen you, Jax and Ned do in business. What the three of you taught me was priceless, and even now comes in handy. Being the law abiding woman that I was, I never could have learned all the underhanded stuff business men and women use on a daily basis."  
  
"I've been told you're quite the barracuda when it comes to your company. I always figured you'd come after us or ELQ one of these days, and we wouldn't stand a chance." He shook his head. Coming to terms with this new Venus was going to be tough. Jax had said she'd changed, but he had never believed that it could happen. He could still feel the over all goodness of her, but she'd hardened some, and the smiles that used to come so freely, came less frequently.  
  
"Maybe ELQ," She said with a sly grin. "But I would have given it back to Ned and Jax in the end. Or maybe traded it for something I wanted more. You know, it's all a big game of monopoly. For all of their railroads and hotel's, I would have given them my park place."  
  
"Only you could equate the life blood of some people, to a child's game. Although, it's pretty accurate." Jerry said smiling back at V. "It's so good to have you here V. We've needed you here to make things better. No one else has managed to make me smile or laugh in days."  
  
"Well, what can I say. Comic relief is what I do best. Even during a time like this, I'm one who trys to make everyone feel better."  
  
"There is going to be a room full of people, all of them who is going to need that this afternoon. Today, it will be a small group, close friends, some aunts, uncles and other relatives. The people who needed extra time, before the throng of business associates and press come in tomorrow."  
  
V nodded, then rolled her head, trying to relieve some of the tension of the day. "It's been a while, since I've served in this kind of capacity. Just whisper a name in my ear, and I'll take care of it. Or wave for me, and I'll take care of anything you need."  
  
"Always the quintessential assistant aren't you? Even though you don't have to anymore. I bet your secretary loves you."  
  
"I would think so. There hasn't been a more pampered assistant since I was working for Jax. And it's the least I can do. Consider it atoning for my sins. And I've always liked your parents, so if I can make this a little easier on them, so be it."  
  
"What about me? You haven't always liked me?" He asked, a small pout visible on his lips.  
  
"You grew on me. But you've got your moments. As long as you promise not to take my son on any safari's or anything else that I would consider stupid, you'll stay on my good side."  
  
"We'll see." He said knowing that he wanted to spend more time with Jon. "V, you're not going to keep him from us are you?" He looked at her, hoping that she wouldn't. He'd lost his brother, and he didn't want to lose his newfound nephew too.  
  
"Jerry, " She sighed. "I don't know. Things weren't supposed to happen like this. We were supposed to be back in London before you found out about him. Let me adjust to sharing him first. Then we'll talk about it."  
  
"I'm going to prove to you V, that I'm not so bad. That I want what's best for you and Jon." He said, determined to do just that. "And maybe, I'll be able to convince you to stick around for a little while, to get to know my nephew."  
  
"Don't count on it." She said as the limo pulled to a stop. She rolled her head one last time hoping to quell the beginning of a headache. "I guess its show time huh." She said getting out of the car, and walking into the funeral home. 


End file.
